Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-23

accompanied by his son, who took a seat
by his side and remained during the day
Baker seemed to take more interest in the
morning testimony tnan he has heretofore
He listened closely TO the witnesses and as
the tide steadily turned against him be-
came more and more nervous. Before
Court opened heinspected the daily papers,
and did not seem to derive much comfort
from them. The testimony of Thursday
was very heavy against him, and he ap-
peared to realize the strength of the case
forthe State as he read over the reports.
The first witness was
WILLIAM A. CRAWFORD.
knew Mrs. McWha; was at the house
Tuesday and Wednesday after the murder;
was on the coroner's jury; saw trunk in
Mrs Bakers bed room; the trunk was sit
ting on the north side of the room; the
hasp had been torn off and was lying on
the floor; afterwards picked up the hasp
and locked it in the lock; got the key from
Mr.. Baker; did not examine any part Of
the Iuuh particularly.
Cross-examined-The hasp was lying
about foot or two in front of the trunk;
it was toward the school-house and in
front; saw pocketbooks lying on the floor;
the contents of the trunks were visible;
Mr. Baker said nothing when asked him
for the key.
ROBERT p. PATTERSON.
The trunk found IN the bedroom, was
produced and identified. The papers
taken from the trunk were shown-a note
TOR $780, and mortgage. The papers
were given me either on Friday or Satur-
day of the week of the murder.
Cross.examned-I got the papers from
Mr. Albert Lee, father of Robert M. Lee;
the mortgage and coupons were made pay
able TO Mrs. McWha; these are the valu
able papers Mr. Hutchinson speaks OF;
they are of no value to anyone except Mrs.
McWha.
Redirect Examination went home at
night, and the papers had been found
when / returned the next morning; Mr..
Albert Lee and two detectives were present
when they were given to me. The papers
were offered in testimony.
Re-cross Examined Again-Albert Lee
was not in the house alone on Tuesday
night; Sheriff Lindsay Mr.. Baker, myself
and some others were present.
ALBERT LEE
recalled: The trunk was shown and
identified; papers were recognized. The
witness had found them in paste-board
box, in the lower part of the trunk. Wit
ness showed the position OF the box. The
box WAS closed and tied with a string Az
soon as we discovered them, the papers
were handed to Patterson.
Cross xamined-They were found the
day after the funeral; had been in the
house several times after the funeral have
employed counsel 10 prosecute the case;
think my son is entitled 10 the estate; he
is the only blood heir Of Mrs. Wha; he is
the same Robert McWha Lee that is men
toned in Mrs. Bakers will.
MRS. swEARINGER
called and sworn. My name is Lucy
Swearinger; live three miles from Steuben
Vile; live there two years, after moving
from Holidays Cove; have been married
thirteen years; was in the habit of visiting
the Cove; always crossed at the ferry;
| remember the day of the mur-
der; | visited Mrs. Brown on
the first week OF May;
was accompanied by my son Henry and
babe; we stopped ut Mrs. Browns; on the
ninth of May | visited Mrs. Bakers hOnse;
had intended to start from Browns ut two,
but did not get started until half past two;
my aunt, myself and the baby got in the
buggy; il is about quarter of "A mile from
Browns to Mrs. McWha's; the way is
mostly level; we drove to the fence near
the house on the west side; my aunt got
out first; we noticed some brush had got
wrapped around the wheel of the buggy
and looked for some man to help take IL
off; we saw no one; we could see through
the McWha orchard from there; the leaves
had not begun to come ont much; finally
my aunt got the brush of herself; We then
hitched the horse and went into the gate
at the west end of the house and went
upon the porch at the front Ot the house;
the door on the porch opens into the hall;
we rang the door bell; the bell is one we
pull down; We rang twice; there was an
interval between the ringing; heard the
bell ring quite plainly; then gave Mrs.
Brown the baby; she was sitting On
4 bench on the porch; then /
went around the west end OF the
house, and came TO the back kitchen door:
| noticed the shutters closed, 40 the parlOr
window; there are three windows on the
north side, the bedroom windows and the
kitchen windows; there are no shutters on
the bedroom windows, they had blinds on;
the kitchen windows were closed down TO
the bottom; could see nothing on the in
side; turned the knob of the kitchen
door; got it open about eight inches or a
foot; it was instantly pushed back on me,
very forcbly; the push closed the door
quickly.
| returned to the front Of the house the
same way | came; found Mrs. Brown just
as had left her.
When the door was slammed too ! said.
Eliza, it is me; let me in" there was no
answer; Mrs. Brown and ] waited few
minutes longer; we stayed there on the
porch about ten minutes went 10 shrub
bush and pulled two OF them, have them
at home vet; going back We talked to Mrs.
Denning about ten minutes; when we got
home it was ten minutes after three
went back 10 Steubenviile on Tuesday
morning; started about nine o'clock; saw
Baker pass the house that morning, ten
| minutes before started he passed
down towards Mrs. McWha's. My
son and the baby were with
ME when we started; went the same way
as before; passed the road leading to the
McWha house; a. drove along the de-
fendant was at the gate on the pike; he
was standing inside the fence; saw him a.
soon rs came in sight; he had not started
up the hill to the bouse; stopped and said
to him, 81 called to see your wife yester-
day, but did not find her Mt home" he
said, likely they were in the orchard y
he asked rue who he should tall his wife
was there? said, Mrs. Swearingen;
he asked, (which Mrs. Swearingen, Dan s
wife," and | said yes; | had known these
women all my life; had gone to school
with Mrs. Baker; had always been very
friendly; know Of no cause for quarrel with
them; / made them a call when was last
there. before this time photographs OF the
house were shown the witness, and she
pointed out the front and back views
Cross examination-I don't know what
kind of time they keep at the Cove; hitched